Customer Reviews
Bringing it all back - By: , 08 May 2003 
My mother has been a fan of Etta James for many years & has most of the songs featured on this album, on different LPs lying about the house. It's so brilliant to have them all on the one disc - it's handy. I am getting married at the end of june & we have decided to use "At Last" as our first song. Perfect start to a perfect day by a perfect singer.
Bringing it all back - By: , 08 May 2003 My mother has been a fan of Etta James for many years & has most of the songs featured on this album, on different LPs lying about the house. It's so brilliant to have them all on the one disc - it's handy. I am getting married at the end of june & we have decided to use "At Last" as our first song. Perfect start to a perfect day by a perfect singer.
Something's Got A Hold On Me ...... - By: , 26 Nov 2001 
... And, it's this CD!
Believe me when I say, that this is Etta James at her best.
She is raw. She is wild. And she shows us just what the blues are about.
Weighingin with a stonking 20 tracks ranging from 1960 to 1970 we are delighted with all offerings. There are no weak links on this disc.
A cacophony of different sounds all lend themselves to separate tracks, resultingin a mixture of string laden arrangements [At Last/A Sunday Kind Of Love/Fool That I Am] old gospel tunes with good strong vocals [Something's Got A Hold On Me], raw blues [Two Sides To Every Story] & a blend of the three that all go to make the unmistakable sound of Etta [I'd Rather Go Blind]
Apart from the one live recording [Baby, What You Want Me To Do ~ The New Era Club, Nashville, 1963] the majority were recordedin Chicago, & with tracks 1 to 10 with the same Orchestra, & the same conductor [Riley Hampton].
There are two duets on the album. The first 'If I Can't Have You' with Harvey Fuqua. A pop song sung with a 'bluesy churchy' feeling. It works well, with both giving the song just what it needs. This song was written by Fugua & James.
The second 'In The Basement' with Sugar Pie Desanto, a delightful little number one that helped Etta peek into both the R & B & pop charts. This is a lively & upbeat little tune
'Pushover' [her biggest hit of the early 60's] & 'Two Sides To Every Story' both go to introduce a soul feel to the album. They are full of brass & beats.
A happy arrangementin the Studio meant that Etta's work hit the high spots & 'Tell Mama' was among the best selling R & B records for 16 weeks. Etta actually co-wrote 'I'd Rather Go Blind' [one of my all time favourite tracks, although I prefer 'Chicken Shacks' version] with an inmate at Chino prison, while her version of 'Security', both written & sung by Otis Redding outsold the original.
The one song that would really make this album the ultimatein Etta James offerings is unfortunately missing.
Made famous by those famous jeans 'I Just Wanna Make Love To You' will probably be Etta's signature tune.
However, the lack of this great song really doesn't detract from this album at all.
If you are an Etta fan & you haven't got 'Her Best'in your collection, I suggest you click 'add to Shopping Basket' now.
You won't regret it.
